Kurt Elling
Renowned for his robust swing and poetic insight, two-time GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling is among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. Over a 25-year career, Elling has garnered numerous accolades, including three Prix du Jazz Vocal, two German Echo Awards, and two Dutch Edison Awards. He has been nominated for a GRAMMY sixteen times and has topped the DownBeat Critics and Readers polls for fourteen years, winning twelve Jazz Journalists Awards for “Male Vocalist of the Year”.
Elling’s voice, a warm, rich baritone spanning four octaves, is instantly recognizable. The Guardian (UK) has called him “a kind of Sinatra with superpowers” and “one of jazz’s all-time great vocalists.” He has recorded and toured with jazz legends like Branford Marsalis, Danilo Perez, and Stefon Harris, and performed with esteemed ensembles such as The Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra and The Metropole Orchestra. His dynamic performances often feature new vocal material with lyrics to compositions by jazz icons like John Coltrane and Pat Metheny.
Elling has toured globally, including UNESCO’s “International Jazz Day” events and twice at the White House. He has been an Artist-In-Residence at the Monterey and Singapore Jazz Festivals and served as Vice Chairman of The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. His contributions to jazz extend to multi-disciplinary performances and collaborations, such as the jazz musical-in-progress “The Big Blind” with Phil Galdston, showcasing his innovative blend of poetry and music.
Joey Calderazzo
One of the finest pianists of his generation, Joey Calderazzo has traveled from child prodigy to in-demand session musician to elite member of top jazz ensembles. Having recorded thirteen albums as a leader, he has accompanied music geniuses like Michael Brecker, Branford Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, and Dave Holland. Calderazzo has boldly explored his own psyche and place in the world as a composer, improviser, band member, and leader.
Calderazzo’s long-running trio, which recently recorded “Live From The Cotton Club Tokyo, Volume I,” showcases his broad approach to jazz. Joined by bassist Orlando Le Fleming and drummer Donald Edwards, the trio explores original material and choice covers in live performances marked by improvisation and swing. Early in his career, groundbreaking records with Michael Brecker and solo recordings on Blue Note Records led to an epiphany in 1997, shifting his piano playing and compositional direction.
Originally a classical pianist, Calderazzo dove headfirst into jazz piano history, studying legends like Art Tatum, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. Over time, his playing became freer, drawing on different eras and styles. With experience comes wisdom, and Calderazzo now embraces a wide range of influences, whether performing with his trio or Branford Marsalis’ Quartet. His music embodies swinging blues, post-bop, traditional jazz, and boundary-exploring improvisation, offering audiences a blend of his unique style and joyous touch.
